"Kachin State is famous for Myitsone and manau festivals, but also contains vast expanses of impenetrable jungle wilderness, a large variety of ethnic groups and even the country’s very own section of the Himalayas. So, I hear you ask? Okay – it also possesses a range of fairly special water-centric excursions, so next time you make it that far north do yourself a favour and add at least a couple of them to your itinerary. INDAWGYI LAKE You don’t have to be a devout wild swimmer to enjoy Myanmar’s largest natural lake – it’s an essential Myanmar travel destination in its own right. You can rent kayaks and bamboo bicycles, visit hot springs, and sign up for a range of different boating tours. While all of that comes heartily recommended, nothing beats heading for the middle of the lake at sunset, and diving headfirst into those deep, deep waters. MYITKYINA Myitsone About 90 minutes north of Mandalay, two rivers that wind down from the Himalayas – the Mali Kha and the N’Mai Kha – converge to form one giant super river, the Ayeyarwady. The current is pretty brutal away from the shallows so I can’t really recommend swimming here. What you can do though is rent a boat (K20,000) for a 15-minute spin around the river(s). That, and renting out a traditional Kachin outfit, and posing like a total dork in front of the confluence..."